Star Hawk
"I'm Staren Wiremu, and with these blades I will tear apart the weapons and armor of evil!" The Star Hawk is Staren Wiremu's great creation, the armor and weapons with which he can protect others and fight for that which he believes in. It is designed to be able to fight at close or long range, weakening targets with an array of weapon systems before closing in for the finish with its hybrid swords (see below). This aspect was inspired by the MBV-09-C Apharmd (yes, from a videogame) and its powerful beam tonfas. Staren did not like the lack of protection afforded by most real robots' armor, and chose to armor his much more heavily (the armor plating is over a centimeter thick and weighs a total of 12 tons), making up for the additional weight by putting over 13% of its weight into powerful boosters in the FAST packs and by making it transformable -- the tremendous speed it is capable of in aerospace fighter mode is sufficient to get it wherever it needs to be, even earth orbit if necessary, before transforming to humanoid mode for close-range combat. Originally only these two modes were intended -- the idea was inspired by the RVR-42 Cypher (yes, from a videogame again), which only had two modes. However, he noticed that with the transformation method he designed, with some slight modifications he could have an in-between mode with incredible aerial mobility. In a nutshell: It's a heavily customized Land-Air battleMech that handles like a mobile suit. Origins/History Staren came up with parts of the idea over the course of mid-NCA 118 and earlier. He began construction and testing in August of NCA 118, and finally completed all testing (except field) on January 14, NCA 119 (SRH-1A). Less than two weeks later he added a cockpit pod system inspired by the VF-11 Thunderbolt, and made some slight tweaks for optimal performance which were completed on January 28 (SRH-1B). Before February 17, he designed and built an alternate cockpit pod capable of containing a Sol Tekkaman powered armor (this cockpit pod however ditches the controls, screens, and pretty much everything else in the cockpit to make room -- thus with the alternate pod the Star Hawk can only be controlled through the cybernetic interface. In addition, some armor protection had to be sacrificed, so the Tekkaman will take some damage in combat even before ejecting from the pod.) No. 4 used the heavier-duty myomer used by battlemechs in its construction (prior to that, Arm Slave muscle packages were used), as well as improved endoskeleton materials inspired by battlemechs. Shortly before introducing the SRH-1C model, Staren implemented a less-powerful version of Adler's Emotional Energy system. SRH-1C finished the FAST pack system with support for actual alternate FAST packs, but stopped carrying repair kits. It also added a burst-fire mode to the FAST pack railgun. The SRH-1D configuration removes the never-used Plasma Cannon and Laser Turret and adds a second Annihilator. Usage Staren Wiremu is the only one to have ever piloted the Star Hawk. Of particular note about the machine's operation is the cybernetic interface -- With it, Staren can view sensor data as if it were seen with his own eyes, and pilot the machine as if it were his own body (hybrid and fighter modes took some getting used to!) There is also a set of physical controls and screens as a backup in case something prevents the cybernetic interface from working, such as a software bug or if Staren's cybernetics fail. Weapons Systems The primary weapon system of the Star Hawk is the pair of Hybrid Swords which fold out from under the arms. These metal blades are then surrounded by hollow beam swords, projected by emitters at the base of the sword which use minovsky particles stored in E-caps. This is further supplemented by a pair of gun ports built into the base, which each fire 25 kg of shot, above and below the cutting sword -- The impact stresses and weakens the armor immediately before and after the sword cuts it for additional damage. In fact, the Hybrid Swords are the only weapon actually built into the mecha's frame -- Everything else is stored in the FAST packs externally attached and the gunpod. Staren could in theory swap them out for something else, but he has yet to build alternate FAST packs or a gun pod to switch to. The gunpod contains a long range missile launcher which fires salvos of 34 small missiles at one or multiple targets. The right arm FAST pack contains a railgun which fires a slug at speeds of kilometers per second. Prior to the SRH-1D refit, the left arm FAST pack contained a plasma cannon which fired a somewhat slow-moving, large blue fireball of plasma. The left shoulder FAST pack contained a laser turret. After the refit, these have been replaced with spare room for experimental weapons and a second Annihilator. The right shoulder FAST pack contains a large mecha-scale revolver, the 4.07 ("Four oh seven") Annihilator, a weapon created by the mad science of Staren's parents. Each shot fires two 4-inch slugs from the barrel, augmented by mad science to have the impact of a much larger weapon. Technology *Power: The Star Hawk is powered by fusion reactors (specifically a bank of hydrogen (protium) fusion reactors, concentric tori positioned in the back -- While lacking the advantages of minovsky fusion reactors, this choice ensures that fuel will always be plentiful wherever there is water. E-caps are used to supply the hybrid swords with the particles needed for their beam sword component) *Internal Structure: The Star Hawk contains a metal composite endoskeletal frame, the bones of which consist of an aluminum core wrapped in strengthening fibers and covered in steel-titanium alloy. Myomer fiber 'muscles' and other components are anchored to this frame. *Armor: Steel and ceramic layers supported by titanium mesh, basically similar to battlemech armor. *Computer: Custom. Staren uses a system comparable to the Diagnostic Interpretation Computer used by battlemechs to gather data on the machine's status, convert pilot commands into low-level instructions, and reroute control and power systems when needed. *Transformation: The Star Hawk transforms using a method similar to that of the VFs, but is constructed somewhat differently. *Hybrid Sword: A unique combination of armblade, beam armblade, and shotguns used to be especially devastating. The Star Hawk uses a number of other technologies -- all designs and models of the weapons, frame, etc are unique, but the technology used is not unusual, except for the Annihilator, a mecha-scale revolver enhanced by the 'mad science' of Staren's parents. Machines 00001 - 119/1/14-1/22 The first finished SRH-1A Star Hawk. Destroyed via reflex missile by Roy Fokker outside Boston Colony. 00002 - 119/1/24-2/17 Implemented the VF-11-style cockpit pod, then improved to SRH-1B. Infected by DG Cells by Slival, self-destructed. 00003 - 119/2/19 Heavily damaged by Slival and the Metal Devil Schwarzman. Staren pushed it past its limits and it broke apart over the Central Ocean. 00004 - 119/2/21 - 9/7. Improved internal structure materials, switched from Muscle Package to battlemech myomer. Added Adler Koch's Emotional Energy system in late April. Upgraded to SRH-1C and refielded on April 25. Punched through by Lord Genome in Onogoro's volcano. 00005 - 119/9/9 - 120/1/15. Huang Qin Shi's Rasvatam clawed through the reactor. Destroyed by Tieria to prevent it falling into EFA hands. 00006 - 120/1/17 - 120/3/4. Blown apart by A-LAWS (Louise Halevy, Anemone, and Kyosuke Nanbu) 00007 - 120/3/6 - Present. Modified into SRH-1D configuration and refielded on Mar 28. Category:Mech